Endometriosis and the gender pain gap

Almost half of the UK’s adult population suffer from chronic pain and due to the pandemic, some NHS clinics are reporting waiting times of up to two years to be treated. As a result, many pain sufferers are now looking for alternative ways to ease their suffering at home.

One of those is Emma, who suffers from endometriosis, a chronic condition that causes tissue usually found in the womb, to grow elsewhere in the body. Like the womb lining, it bleeds every month, but with no way of escape the blood becomes trapped causing inflammation and chronic pain. Emma found the answer to alleviate her pain in some well-loved but little-known treatments, that have been in her family home for decades. Treatments that have been around for centuries and are the envy of neighbours up and down the country during lockdown: Sauna’s and hot hubs!

But these are different to the one’s may find in gyms and health clubs. These are infrared saunas that warm your body directly, penetrating the skin rather than heating the air around you. By warming the body, it reduces stiffness and pain, with a recent study published in Clinical Rheumatology finding infra-red saunas improved chronic pain by up to 40%. The first hot tub was invented to provide relief for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and for Emma it provided a massive relief from crippling pain.

Aston spoke to Emma Staniforth, university graduate who now runs a family business with her mum Sal to raise awareness on endometriosis.